Steps in Developing a Bioassessment and Biocriteria Program

Implement a Monitoring and Assessment Program

Monitoring and Assessment in the Bioassessment and Biocriteria Program

An operational monitoring and assessment program serves two primary purposes in developing and maintaining a bioassessment and biocriteria program:

• first, it assesses for potential biological impairment at test sites; and
• secondly, continued monitoring of  reference sites helps to determine seasonal and annual variability and trends.

Monitoring and Assessment as Part of State and Tribal Water Quality Programs

More broadly, biological monitoring and assessment is an integral part of a robust water quality program.  States and authorized tribes are responsible for: characterizing their water resources, identifying water quality problems, and evaluating the effectiveness of point and nonpoint source water quality controls. An effective and thorough biological monitoring and assessment program, coupled with biological criteria thresholds, will strengthen a state's or tribe's overall water quality  program by helping to improve reporting accuracy, increase the effectiveness of pollution prevention efforts, and more clearly document the progress of mitigation efforts.

Application of Biological Assessments and Biocriteria in Clean Water Act Programs

Several Clean Water Act (CWA) programs provide opportunities for application of biological monitoring and assessment programs and biocriteria in evaluating the biological condition of the Nation's waters.

Review case studies on: Using Bioassessments and Biocriteria to Identify Impaired Waters and Causes of Impairment